db pont



Patented July 1, 1919.

2 SHEETSSHEE[ l Ill F, AND E. P. DU FONT.

PROCESS OF MAKING smoxauzss POWDER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT- 25, 191 7.

A nw W i. J M m m mw w H f. y my a 1. a UT F. mm 3 H m m P g z K WW w l m the The ether leaving chamber 1' and flowing tures a small percentage of water, and we have discovered that it will dissolve hardly any ice; so that when the ether is cooled somewhat below the freezijhg point of water ice is precipitated out, leaving the ether almost anhydrous and in a condition to disup within casing 9 around tube it passes out pipe 7'; into pipe 7' and thence through the pump n and pipe m and enters the tank a in a dry condition, enabling it to take up con siderable water as it passes through the guncotton. This circulation of the ether through the tank and dehydrator is continued until all the water has been removed from the guncotton.

The tube l2. made in the deeply corrugated shape shown to present a large surface, the wall of chamber i being similarly shaped for the same purpose. As the ether enters the dehydrator and tiotcs downward inside tube It, there is an effective exchange of heat between it and the upwardly moving stream of ether. outside the tube h, which has been refrigerated in the chamber Thus, the downflowing other has its temperature gradually reduced, while at the same time the uptlowing stream is gradually rising in temperature. As the cooler liquid seeks the bottom of any vessel, and as different layers of different temperatures will arrange themselves naturally according to the temperature, the warmer at the top and the colder at the bottom, it will be understood that both the inner and outer tubes (It and g) of the dehydrator will be warm at the top and gradually diminish in temperature toward the refrigerating chamber There by a very large quantity of ether may be subjected to extreme cold in the chamber and yet very little loss of cold will occur in the refrigerator, owing to the exchange of heat above. Consequently, a. small amount of refrigeration is necessary.

After the complete removal of water from the guncotton, the charge of guncotton and ether in the tank a is drawn off through the, valve 0, after which the charge is ready to be passed to the mixers and to receive the alcohol. A. new charge of guncotton is then placed in the tank a. The valve .9 is now closed and the valve 1% opened, and the circulation of ether directly from the tank (I. to the pumpnand thence to the tank (L is restored, effecting the. preliminary removal of water from the fresh charge and the separation of the Water in the separator e. In the nrumtime, the brine is cut off from the jacket and the temperature in chamher i is allowed to rise to a point where the ice is melted, the water being witlulra'wn through the valve Having now fully described our invention, what we claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In the manufacture of smokeless powder, the process which comprises expelling water from guncotton by means of ether.

2. llrthe manufacture of smokeless powder, the process which comprises agitating ether. with water-wet guncotton, thereby. by reason of the preference of the guncotton for the ether. causing a portion of the ether to wet the fibers of the guncottou and expel a substantial portion of its contained water.

3. In the manufacture of smokeless powder, the process which comprises treating guncotton with acids, washing the treated guncotton with water, eliminating the \valcr from the guncotton by means of ether. and adding alcohol to the ether-wet guncotton.

l. In'the numufacture of smokeless powder. the process which comprises establishing an endless circulation of ether. interposing, in the circulation guncotlon containing water, and in the course of the How of ether and expelled-water away from the guncotton. removing water from the ether.

In the manufm-ture of smokeless powder the process which comprises expelling water from guncotton by means of ether. then subjecting other which has' passcd through the mass of guncotton to a. temperature below the freezing point of water, thereby drying the ether. and then passing the thus dried ether througlrthe guucotton to expel additional water therefrom.

6. In the manu .cture of smokeless powder, the process which comprises treating with ether a. body of guncotton containing water and separating out water until the water content of the guncotton has been substantially reduced. then subjecting ether which has passed through the mass of guncotton to a temperature sufiiciently low to substantially eliminate the water therefrom, and-treating the guncottom with the thus dried ether to substantiallyeliminate from the guncotton the remainder of its water content.

7. In the nuu'mfacture of smokeless powder. the process which comprises treating with ether a body of guncotton containing water and separating out water until the water content of the guncotton has been substantially reduced. subjecting ether which has passed through the mass of guncotton to a temperature below the freezing point of water, and treating the guncotton with the thus dried ether to substantially eliminate from the guncotton the remainder of the water.

8. In the manufacture of smokeless powder, the process which comprises establish- 'Itli it ll it ll ll li ether to a cooling process to effect a morethorough elimination of Water therefrom, and treating. the guncotton with the thus dried other until the remalnder of the water is substantially eliminated from the gun-' cotton, i

9. in the manufacture of smokeless powder, the process which comprises expelling water from guncotton by means of ether, conveying from the guncotton ether which has passed through the mass of the same and subjecting such ether to a cooling process to separate water therefrom, conveying the thus dried ether to the guncotton to effect further elimination of Water from the guncotton, and'etfecting an exchange of heat between the oppositely flowing streams of ether toward an 1 from the place of cooling.

10. In the manufacture of smokeless powder, the process which comprises expelling water from guncotton by means of ether, subjecting ether which has passed through the maze of guncotton to a cooling process to separate Water therefrom, treating the guncotton with the thus dried other, and

causing the streams of ether moving toward and from the place of cooling to [low respectively downwardly and upu ardly in heat exchanging relation.

11. In the manufacture of smokeless powder, the process which comprises treating with ether guneotton containing Water, collecting by gravity water which is thus eX- 'pelled from the guncotton, continuing the process until the water content of the guncotton has been substantially reduced, then subjecting ether that has not been absorbed by the guncotton to a refrigerating process adapted to freeze the Water and thus dry the ether, and treating the guncotton with the thus dried ether until the Water has been substantially eliminated from the guncotton.

12. In the manufacture or smokeless powder, the process which comprises agitating ether With Water-Wet guncotton, thereby, by

reason of the preference of the guncotton for the ether, causing a portion of the ether to Wet the fibersof the guncotton and expel a substantial portion of its contained Water, and subjecting the solution ofwater in ether to a sufficiently low temperature to precipitate ice and thereby render the ether approximately anhydrous and using said substantially anhydrous ether to dissolve the ren'iaining Water from the guncotton.

i In testimony of which invention, we have hereunto set our'hands, at Wilmington, Delaware, on this 24th day of September, 1917.

FRANCIS I. no FONT. ELEUTHERE PAUL DU PONT.. 

